


Becoming Royalty

by zestybubbles



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Gods (Percy Jackson), F/F, F/M, M/M, Modern Royalty, Royalty, The Selection AU, based off of the selection series which yall should read if you haven't, well there is gods but they aren't heavenly and stuff u know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-16 19:14:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13642716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zestybubbles/pseuds/zestybubbles
Summary: Prince Jason Grace has become of the age to start The Selection. A letter has been sent to every man and woman that is nineteen or twenty years old, so that they enter themselves in the lottery. If they are picked out, they become part of the competition for Prince Jason's hand.For Percy, entering and getting picked out means his family getting money and never having to be poor again. He reasons that after a few weeks, when his family gets enough pay checks for Percy's contributions with the prince, he'll either politely ask the prince to go home, or do something to make him dislike Percy so much that he kicks Percy out.However, his plans seem to go awry when Prince Jason is not quite the man he had been picturing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic is based largely off of The Selection series!!! You don't really have to read those series first, but I recommend you do because... well, they're really good books.
> 
> All credit goes to Kiera Cass for the fanfic idea.

Percy stared up at the ceiling of his room, watching the water drop down into the bucket that was placed underneath. He theorized which ways he could fix that leak, without spending too much money or time. He sighed, sitting up carefully without waking Tyson or Ella. Changing quietly into different clothes, which were just as simple as what he slept in, Percy exited his room and made his way down the hall. Sally was already finishing breakfast, while Paul threw some freshly cut logs into the fire. Winter was just drawing to its end, so the spring mornings were still cold enough for a fire to be lit.

"Hey champ," Paul smiled at Percy.

"Hey Dad," Percy smiled back. He picked out some toast from the plate that Sally set on the table.

"Morning, Percy," Sally greeted her son, and Percy pressed a kiss onto her cheek.

"Mornin', Mom. I'm not staying for long, I have to get to the shop," Percy said, hurrying to shrug his coat on. He had glanced outside the window earlier and seen a thin coat of frost on the ground.

"Alright. Take something for Will." Sally motioned to the plate of breakfast food on the table.

Percy grabbed a paper bag and filled it with some toast and an apple. He then turned and, after waving goodbye, left the small house.

Percy's family was pretty poor, considering they were only Sixes. Percy had once tried to manage multiple jobs at the same time, but it was hard when he was in charge of the kids. Paul takes care of three already, he'd no doubt have to look for another one, and Sally can barely keep up with the tiring hours of her only job.

The lower castes was just where Percy's family was stuck. He still considered himself lucky, for he wasn't as poor as Will Solace's family. Will Solace was Percy's only friend, and his best friend. He was kind, always smiling, and loved sunny days. He cared for others and was always thinking of his family and friends first.

Unlike Percy, who was rude, only smiled around his family and Will, and  _hated_  the higher castes.

Especially the Ones, which consisted of the monarchy and the nobles, along with the Twos. Percy, being so poor and witnessing so many starve or work themselves to death, hated that some got to live so comfortably while others worked constantly. It wasn't fair. And, to make matters worse, people from the upper castes marrying anyone that isn't from their caste was frowned upon. So there was no way out of the caste you were born in.

Percy arrived to the little bakery shop that he worked at, smiling at Will. "Hey there, Sunshine," Percy greeted him.

"Hey Perce." Will grinned widely. "Thought you weren't gonna make it."

"Of course I'd make it. I need the money. I brought you a little something." Percy lifted the bag containing the food and wiggled it around. Will's smile turned grateful.

"You shouldn't have." He said softly.

"My mother wouldn't take no for an answer, you know her." Percy dropped the bag in Will's hands. "Eat it, before the bread gets cold."

Will pulled out the toast and apple, biting into the crunchy red fruit first. "Thank you, Perce," Will said earnestly around a mouthful of apple.

"Don't mention it, Sunshine. Hey, how's your sister doing?" Percy asked.

Will's smile dropped. "She's fine, I suppose. Alive."

"Here, take this. It's all the tips I've scrounged up in the last month. It should help pay for her medication." Percy pulled money out of a little can he hid behind the cans of sugar.

"I can't - "

"Yes you can. Here," Percy grabbed Will's hand and dropped the money there. "Take it. Please." Percy closed Will's fingers over the money, staring into Will's eyes to display how much he wanted Will to take it.

Will struggled for a second, before relaxing and shaking his head lightly. "You're so stubborn, Jackson."

"Love you too, Sunshine." Percy grinned, ruffling Will's blonde hair.

Two girls came in then, chattering between each other. They stopped momentarily to order some desserts from Percy, who quickly got around to gathering them.

"My brother has been waiting in the mail for his. He's convinced he's gonna get picked and win." One girl said.

The other replied with, "My sister is waiting for hers too. She still isn't sure whether she's gonna enter or not though."

"Talking about the Selection, I take it?" Will interrupted.

The girls looked at him, excited smiles erupting on their faces. "Yes! We're so excited for it. We both have siblings entering," one answered.

"You entering? You look old enough." The other commented.

Will shook his head. "Nah, afraid I'm a year too young. My friend here is old enough though."

Both girls looked at Percy. "Oh, he's cute! He'd probably make it to the top 10 with that face. If he enters and gets picked, that is."

Percy refrained from rolling his eyes. "Your desserts, girls." He dropped the bag on the counter, and one of them grabbed it.

"Thank you." One said, and then both were out of the store, resuming their talk.

"So, are you?" Will asked casually.

"Am I what?" Percy replied, heading to the back to get more flour.

"Entering the Selection. You know you're gonna get a letter in the mail soon."

Percy snorted. "Hell no. I'd never survive with that much nobility." He grabbed two sacks of flour and lugged them to the front, heaving them up onto the table where he cut a bag open. Flour spilled out, and Percy drew about a handful away from the pile, preparing to make more desserts to put on display.

"I wish I was old enough," Will sighed wistfully. "Can't believe I'm off by a year."

"Take my card, not like I'll ever use it," Percy said sarcastically. "Probably gonna throw it out before I get ideas going in my head."

"So you  _have_  thought about it," Will snickered.

"Yes," Percy said. "I have. But not because I want Prince Jason Grace to whisper sweet nothings into my ear. If I enter, I'm in it for the paycheck."

Will rolled his eyes. "How romantic!"

"Pfft. Romance. I'll be lucky if I ever find anyone I like more than you, Solace. And I can barely stand you." Percy joked.

Will stuck his tongue out at Percy. Then, his face turned more serious. "You should enter, you know. If a letter ever came to me, and I never even entered... I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'd always be thinking about that little  _'what if?_. What if I got picked? What if I made it to the top ten? What if, I don't know, perhaps I won? Besides, even without thinking about the romantic part, imagine the kind of money I could bring home."

Percy stopped in his actions of rolling the dough out, staring at it. He wasn't gonna lie, he'd fantasized about the money too. Thought about just how much he could bring home if he entered and was somehow picked. When Percy snapped out of his thoughts, he saw Will staring at him, head tilted. If anything, he could do it for Will. Just to show him that Percy had tried.

Percy sighed. "Get back to work, Sunshine."

\+ + +

The letter came the next day. Percy grumbled to himself as he filled out the forms. "Do it for Will, Jackson. Do it for Will."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!!! 26 kudos in the span of 24-ish hours??? guys thank you so so so much!

"So, did you enter?!" Will asked excitedly as soon as Percy came into the bakery, bouncing on his feet.

"Good morning to you too, Sunshine. Have you even set out new pastries at the display window?" Percy grumbled, a bit tired from staying up late to fill out all the paperwork. If he'd known you needed to fill so much out to be entered into a lottery where you competed for a spoiled brat's hand, he would've never agreed to do it. His wrist was still cramping a little.

Will pouted. "No, I will in a second. But have you - ?"

"And get some sugar from Donna while you're at it. I saw her outside her shop this morning." Percy added, heading towards the back to set his things down.

"Okay, I will, but - "

"Oh! I almost forgot. Mrs. McCartney wants a cake for her daughter's birthday, it's tomorrow. She gave me the instructions and everything but I'm going to need some strawberries. Don't worry, they're all going to be paid by McCartney herself."

" _Percy!_ " Will shouted, impatient.

Percy stopped in his actions of reorganizing some orders based on importance, looking at Will. "What?"

"Did you enter or not?!" Will said, eyes widening to enunciate the importance of his question.

" _Yes_ , I entered. I dropped off the papers by the City Office on my way here. Can we please start working now?" Percy grumbled.

Will beamed, bright enough to give the sun a run for its money (hence Percy's nickname for the boy). "Hell yeah!" He said, pumping his fist in the air. "What if you get picked? Prince Jason will  _totally_  love you!"

"Whoa there, buddy. Slow down. The lottery isn't even held until next week. A bunch of people are going to be entering." Percy said, shaking his head. "Besides, I'm not exactly known for my charm. I'm known by my  _lack_  of it."

"Who cares about charm when you have eyes and a face like that?" Will teased. "Have you seen yourself in a mirror, Jackson?"

Percy snorted. "Go get me what I asked you for, Solace."

"If only our looks were switched," Will sighed dramatically. "Seriously, some of the boys that go after you are  _so_  cute."

"Can we just get to work already?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow. Will ducked behind the counter, finishing with putting new desserts in the display window.

"Do you think you'll get picked?"

"Honestly? No. A lot of people entered." Percy shrugged. "But it's worth a try."

The day goes by in a flurry, and soon, it's over. Percy was closing up the shop, Will waiting around to walk home with him. They two of them started on their way, Will convincing Percy to stop by the City Office. As they pass, they see the long winding line around the sidewalk, littered with young boys and girls. They were all gripping their forms, some looking nervous while others looked excited.

"Getting my picture taken was so weird. They made me stand in front of these big white lights. The camera looked so expensive, could probably feed my whole family for weeks. Only the upper caste people would spend so much for a single photo." Percy shook his head, lips pressing into a hard, angry line.

"I bet your eyes just  _popped_  with those lights." Will grinned.

"I don't know. They didn't show me the picture. I was ushered out, as soon as my time was done."

They both fell into silence after that, continuing on their way home. Percy lived a couple streets away from Will, so the blonde boy was first to depart, going down a street. He waved goodbye as he left, grin so wide his cheeks must've hurt. Percy kept walking, looking at the sun that was setting. Clouds were approaching, a storm was no doubt due soon. Which meant leaks in the house, which meant Percy had to fix them as soon as possible.

As Percy entered the small house that belonged to him and his family, Tyson and Ella swarmed around him.

"Did you enter?!" Tyson shouted, jumping excitedly.

Percy bent down to wrap an arm around Tyson's waist, heaving him up, "I did, bud. First one of the day."

Tyson cheered, eyes sparkling. "Ella!" He yelled. "Percy entered!"

Soon, Percy's little sister came running, screaming her whole way there. Ella was only seven years old, while Tyson was nine. They were both quite small and light though, due to never having enough food for them to grow. "Percy's gonna be a princess!" She said, ecstatic.

"Who's gonna be a princess?" Rachel asked, following Ella.

"Nobody." Percy grunted, but Ella informed her sister anyways.

"Percy is." She stated proudly.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Fireball?" Percy ruffled Rachel's hair, grinning. Rachel, nor Ella, were really related to Percy. Only Tyson was. In fact, not even Paul was Percy's real father. Percy and Tyson were Sally Jackson's children. Rachel and Ella were sisters, but their real parents had died a long time ago due to starvation. After Paul and Sally got married, they went out to adopt a little girl, since Sally was in no shape health-wise to have another kid. They found Ella, and loved her. When they learned Ella had a sister, they took Rachel Elizabeth Dare along too, not wanting to separate the two girls who had gone through so much together.

At first, Rachel had been cold and mean, but she soon warmed up to everyone. Now, they were all one big happy family. Or, as happy as you could be when you were in the lower castes.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to the day that I see Percy wearing a dress and a tiara," Rachel teased.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before that happens," Percy took Rachel under into a headlock, soon turning into a wrestling game on who could beat the other. Rachel was younger than Percy by only a few months, so it was a pretty even match. Percy won in the end though, Rachel declaring defeat.

"Children,  _please_  stop causing such a ruckus! Go play outside!" Sally scolded, ushering the kids out.

Tyson and Ella did end up running out, but Rachel and Percy stayed behind, helping Sally with dinner.

"I brought some left-over cupcakes," Percy grinned, eager to bring home a treat. Sugar was too expensive for Percy's family to purchase, so they only got to have portions of it when the bakery tossed out desserts (which Percy instead brought home obviously).

Rachel snatched the bag away from Percy, gasping. "Hell yes!"

"Language!" Paul called as he passed the kitchen.

"Sorry Dad," Rachel apologized, but her attention was on the sweet delicacies. "You brought vanilla, right?"

"Of course, you idiot." Percy punched Rachel's shoulder, who punched Percy in the chest. It was about to evolve into another play-fight, but Sally whacked both teens with a wooden spoon.

"Enough you two. You'll cause a mess in here."

"Of course, Mom, sorry." Rachel said seriously, before turning to mouth, "You're dead meat," to Percy.

Percy gasped, pretending to be offended, and tackled his sister. Rachel shrieked on her way down, both landing on the ground with a definitive thump.

"Perseus!" Sally said, scowling. "Oh, you two will be death of me!"

"I yield!" Rachel yelped, most definitely defeated.

Percy got up, helping his sister up after. "Don't mess with me, Fireball."

Rachel stuck her tongue out at Percy, as mature teenagers do.

After that, the two calmed down, helping their mother with chopping vegetables, meat, and adding flavors to their food. The family then gathered for dinner, laughing and teasing. Moments like these were the only time Percy dared to label his emotions as happy. His family was alive and well, although poor, but happy. Even with nothing to their names except for barely enough food and money to get through the month, they were  _content_ , at this moment when the family was together.

Later, when the kitchen had been cleared away and everybody was in bed, Percy stared up at the ceiling, contemplating just what his family would do if he was picked at the lottery and money started pouring in. Rachel could buy those paintbrushes and the expensive paint she practically dreamed about, Tyson could get those light up sneakers he wanted so badly, and Ella could finally get a decent, plastic doll instead of the rag ones Sally made. Money could be extended to Will and his family, and they could afford better medicine for Will's ill little sister.

Percy sighed, rolling over and pulling the covers up to his chin. He knew that his chances of being picked were incredibly slim. He had nothing good to bring to the table, nothing that would help make Olympus a better country. Even if he became prince consort - which Percy really doubted - he probably wouldn't survive a  _day_  around all that nobility.

Besides, there was no point in dreaming about this. Next week, the lottery would happen, Percy won't get picked, and life will go one. Alas, one can always dream.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait, been kinda busy lately (that's code for i accidentally got hooked on shadowhunters and haven't been able to write lol sry)

"Aren't you  _nervous_?" Will mumbled, as they were closing up the shop. "I mean... it's  _the_  Selection. You might end up becoming Prince Jason's potential fiancee tonight!"

"Will," Percy laughed. "C'mon, Sunshine. Who are we kidding? I'm not gonna win. You know I'm not."

"Well, you never know!" Will rolled his eyes. "You just might. Like, what were the chances that Queen Hera was going to get pulled out of the Lottery, all those years ago?"

"Probably pretty high. Wasn't she like a Three?"

"You're missing the point," Will sighed, exasperated. "Queen Hera could've never gotten picked! It was only a matter of luck!"

"And perhaps a few thousand bucks that her family slipped in to improve their chances of winning." Percy muttered. "Look, Will, the point is that I'm probably not going to win. Thousands of girls and boys entered. There's a pretty big chance that I will  _not_  get picked."

Will huffed, but he was still clinging to hope. "You'll get picked." He insisted. "I know you will."

\+ + +

"Percy's home!" Ella shouted, running to greet her brother.

Percy dropped down to scoop Ella up in his arms, grunting dramatically as he lifted her. "Good evening, m'lady!"

"Are you excited for the Lottery?" Ella grinned, clearly excited herself.

"Oh, totally," Percy lied, for her sake. "Can't wait."

"You're gonna win, right?" Ella tilted her head. Percy hesitated, not wanting to let her down harshly. He bit his lower lip, but thankfully Rachel came in before he had a chance to answer her.

"About time, Future Princess of Olympus." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut up." Percy snickered, shoving her shoulder.

"C'mon, you slowpoke. Dinner's ready, we're just waiting for you."

The Jackson family gathered to eat, all in good spirits. Everyone except for Percy was eager to watch the Lottery, Ella and Tyson unable to stop chattering about the event. Percy's mind wasn't really on the Selection, since he knew he wasn't going to be picked and didn't really care either. Many, many people entered. It was no hidden thing that Prince Jason was okay with marrying both girls and boys. That meant that  _thousands_  of eighteen to twenty year-old men and women had entered. Percy could not compete with that. Not to mention that there were many, many more people who knew royal etiquette. Percy barely ever said thank you to anyone who wasn't in lower than a Four.

The odds were against Percy, and he knew that Rachel thought the same, for she teased even more than everybody else. Eventually, the time came when the table was cleared and everyone gathered around the crappy old TV in the Jacksons' living room. The only channel was OOC, the Olympus Official Channel. It was free of charge, and required to be in all houses. On the screen was the Grand Duke Hermes - who was the host of OOC - along with Grand Duchess Demeter. Duchess Demeter was explaining some of the latest agricultural struggles that had been going on in Olympus. After that, Grand Duke Ares along with Grand Duchess Athena and Artemis passed to discuss wars and treaties that had been going on with neighboring countries.

Afterwards, Archduke Hades passed to mention some deadly illnesses that had been sweeping through Olympus which everyone should be cautious of. Then, finally, the big moment came. King Zeus and Queen Hera appeared, and besides them stood Prince Jason. Percy tried hard to not roll his eyes, but ended up rolling them anyways. The mighty fanfare that played as the three walked down an aisle that was covered by a plush red carpet was so...  _overdone_  if you asked Percy.

Duke Hermes chattered into the microphone that he held. "And we have King Zeus coming down, along with the beloved Queen and Prince! Today is a very exciting evening, indeed! Twelve boys and twelve girls will be picked from all over Olympus to enter the Selection, where Prince Jason will pick our next king or queen!"

The crowd behind the cameras at OOC began to cheer.

"Can they just start it?" Ella burst out. "I'm wanna know!"

"Patience, dear," Sally chuckled.

Prince Jason stepped forward to a microphone. On a podium by it, were twenty-four envelopes.  _That paper looks really expensive_ , Percy thought. He knew they would throw it away as soon as the twenty-four names had been said.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Duke Hermes grinned. "Here he goes, he's about to open the first one!"

Prince Jason opened the envelope, pulling out a small piece of paper. He leaned forward and said, "Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arrellano."

Nobody really clapped, meaning the girl must come from the lower castes. Prince Jason continued. "Leo Valdez." No claps. Another lower caste person. He kept going. "Drew Tanaka." Deafening cheers and claps burst from the crowd. Ah, it seems they found their first upper caste girl. Prince Jason waited until they stopped clapping, before continuing. He named off five more people. No more lower caste people had been mentioned, judging by the claps. After the tenth person was called, Percy turned to Rachel to tell her that the person who had just been named looked a little like the guy from down the street, when the eleventh name was called. "Perseus Jackson."

Everyone sat in stunned silence, except for Tyson and Ella. The two small children began to jump on the sofa that everyone except for Percy and Rachel were on. Percy turned back to the TV, dazed. He surely must've heard wrong. There was absolutely  _no way_  his name had just been called.

Rachael was just as shocked, but she recovered a lot faster. She instantly set her hands on Percy's shoulders and shook him, screaming about how amazing this was. Percy was still too surprised to register what was even happening.  _This cannot be happening._

Nobody even heard who the twelfth person was, but it wasn't like anyone cared. The door was thrown open and in came the Solace family, everyone so excited for Percy. _How did they get here so fast?_  Will went straight for Percy, engulfing him in a big hug. Will's comforting and familiar scent pulled Percy out of his reverie, and he blinked at Will. "I got picked?" He blurted out, although it sounded like a question.

"You got picked!" Will laughed, delight clear on his features. "Oh, Percy, you got picked!"

Not an ounce of the happiness that everyone else felt mirrored Percy's feelings. He was alarmed, not sure what to do next. He knew that castle advisers would come soon, especially one particular person who would help Percy for the next few months. 

The Jacksons and Solaces spent twenty minutes celebrating (minus Percy who was still shocked) until someone knocked on the door. Both of the families quieted, and Sally rushed to open the door.

In came a woman with a poofy dress. She had her hair done up in an elegant hair-do, with a bunch of glittering diamonds and precious stones braided in. "Hello, hello! I'm looking for Perseus Jackson."

Ella pointed to Percy, who was busy cowering behind everybody. The crowd that hid Percy parted, and the woman's eyes landed on him. "Oh, you're a real beauty! That nasty picture didn't do you justice. I'm Francoise Winthrop, your personal adviser." She swept down into a low and graceful curtsy. "I've come to discuss some things with your parents and you."

Sally and Paul stepped forward, and Francoise smiled. "Perfect. Come along, dumplings." She waved for them to follow her to the table in the dining room, and everyone followed. Only Sally, Paul, and Percy sat down.

"I need you to sign this. It states that you're heading to the castle willingly and a few other little details." Francoise handed the papers to Percy, who skimmed them over to make sure he wasn't signing anything that would legally bind him to the castle forever. Once satisfied, Percy signed. "Perfect! I just have to know one thing..." Francoise glanced to everyone that was present in the room, and everybody scattered. Francoise leaned forward to Percy. "You have to be perfectly honest about this, alright?"

Feeling uncomfortable, Percy nodded slowly.

"Have you ever been intimate with anyone?" Francoise asked.

Paul let out a sudden cough, as if choking on something, and Sally's face drained of some color. Percy felt his face heat up. "N-No," he stammered.

"Are you sure?" Francoise raised a perfect eyebrow. "There's nothing bad about it if you aren't, biscuit. I just have to know in case we need to conduct some tests on you. To make sure you're clean."

"Y-Yes, I'm s-sure!" Percy repeated, feeling his face get hotter by the second.

"Alright," Francoise smiled. "Well, here's your first paycheck. Olympus is grateful to you for providing this handsome young man." Francoise handed a check to Percy, whose eyes practically popped out of their sockets upon seeing the check. He handed it to his parents, who had a similar reaction. "All that's left before we leave to the castle is that you pick two guidance friends to come. Think about this carefully. They are to be the people who will attend every event with you, who will help you - along with me - think of the best way to win the Selection."

Percy didn't even have to think about it. "I'll take Rachael Dare and Will Solace," he said immediately.

Francoise must've noticed his conviction and faith in his choices, for she didn't question him. Her lips turned up into a bright smile. "Perfect! It's time we take you to the castle then, biscuit."


	4. Chapter 4

"This is incredible," Will gasped as the horse-drawn carriage they rode through the stone streets led up to the castle. His eyes were wide and round, completely blown away. Rachel was just as in awe, staring out the window with a hand pressed against the window. Percy peered out the window, but couldn't really bring himself to care about its elegance. All he was thinking about was how this was going to be his key to earning more money for his family.

"Shouldn't you be more excited?" Rachel raised an eyebrow, glancing at him.

"I suppose I should," Percy chuckled. "But the only thing I'm happy about is that finally some decent money will be given to Mom and Dad. Not to mention that some money will also be given to Will's family for him being my adviser."

Will looked at him. "And we are eternally grateful to you for picking me."

"I wouldn't pick anyone else, Sunshine," Percy grinned. The carriage then slowed to a stop, and the door opened after a few moments. The man that opened it looked at Percy, Rachel, and Will and gasped.

"O-Oh, deary!" He muttered. "I shall take you to your rooms right away to take a bath! Prince Jason mustn't see you like this."

Percy scowled, mouth already opening to say something unkind, before Will said kindly, "Thank you, sir."

The man's lips turned up into a happy smile - Will had that effect on people. "Oh, no, you're above me in rank now. If anything,  _I_  should be calling you 'sir'." The man held a hand out to Rachel. "May I help you down, ma'am?"

Rachel grinned, and she took his hand, allowing the man help her out of the carriage. Percy ignored the hand that had been stretched out to him, clambering out of the carriage. Will accepted the man's help, smiling in apology for Percy's rude behavior.

"Right, so to your rooms!" The man ushered them into the castle, taking them to the according hall which would be Percy's living quarters for the next few months. Outside, Percy hadn't really been impressed by the castle's extravagant looks, but once inside, Percy couldn't stifle his reaction of surprise.

To say it was extravagant was to say the least. This was more like over-the-top, "We're richer than you so we should shove it in your face" stuff. Percy felt the blood in his veins boil, already  _so_  sick of being in this wealth when his family was no stranger to going to bed hungry, or when Will's family was struggling to keep his own sister alive because the medicine was so damn expensive. Rachel and Will seemed to notice that Percy was two seconds away from causing a scene, so they told the man if he could lead them to their rooms right away, since Percy was  _very_  tired.

Percy got a room all to himself that had two levels in it (once again, over-the-top). He slammed the door in the tour guide's face. Will murmured something to the man (Percy couldn't hear well, the door muffled the sound). It was most likely an apology for Percy's rude behavior. Grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling, red velvet curtains adorned the windows, and everything seemed to be made of white marble.

Honestly, Percy doesn't know what possessed him to enter the Selection. This place was not for him. He dragged a hand down his face, and let out a huge sigh. He may as well take a bath. He hasn't taken one in so long, always washing off with cold water from a bucket that he just doused over his head. The water wasn't even completely clean most of the time.

The bathroom was bigger than Percy's own room back at home, and when he saw the shower, he decided to opt out of the bath. He's never taken a shower before, and he at first had his doubts. As soon as he stepped under the light pressure of the water, he was instantly in love with it. It was like warm rain.

The water felt so nice, and Percy stayed in there longer than he would've liked to admit. The shampoo felt so nice in his hair, and the body wash did wonders to his skin. He had never felt so clean. Stepping out of the shower, Percy grabbed a fluffy white towel and dried off. He was about to wear the clothes he had been wearing again, but when he walked out of the bathroom to find them, they were gone. In their place was a light green t-shirt and black sweatpants. Even the comfy clothes felt expensive.

Percy decided he had been holed up inside his room for long enough; he wanted to find Rachel and Will and talk to them about the shower. Did they even get one in their rooms? He slipped on the nice slippers that they gave him, and at the last second, put on the leather bracelet that was a gift from Tyson, and the other bracelet made out of rope which was given to him by Ella.

He opened the door then, and walked across the hall to Will's room. He could hear Rachel before opening the door. She was yelling about something.

Percy walked in, and Will and Rachel glanced over to him. The look on their faces could only be described as pure shock.

"Oh, my God," Will muttered.

Percy frowned. "What?"

They both just stood there, in silence. Rachel raised an eyebrow, as if she couldn't tell whether she liked what was happening or not.

"Stop staring, you freaks." Percy snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. He felt so self-conscious right now.

"Percy, you look  _great_." Will finally said, grinning.

Rachel made a sound that neither suggested she was agreeing or denying what Will said.

"Yeah, yeah. The showers here are magical or something." Percy went over to sit on Will's bed. The material was so soft; Percy decided quickly that the beds were his second favorite thing here after the showers. He looked up to Will and Rachel, who were strangely quiet.

They were still staring.

"Stop. Staring." Percy said through gritted teeth.

Will looked like he was vibrating from joy. "Percy, this just bumped you up so high on the social ladder of love!"

"On the  _what?_ "

"Who would've guessed you are actually not that ugly-looking under all the grime, Jackson?" Rachel joked.

"Aren't you gonna put a suit on? For the Opening Ceremony?" Will suggested. Percy was about to say a hard  _no_  on that one, but the pleading look in Will's face was enough to make him hesitate. "Please, oh, please, Percy. Do it for me. The longer you keep me here, the more money my mother earns."

"That," Percy pointed, "Is a low move. Do  _not_  bring your family into this argument."

"But it's true!" Will whined. "Please!"

Rachel nodded. "I do think you should at least try a  _little_ , Perce. What's the harm in that? The more money Mom and Dad earn, the better. That  _is_  why you're here after all."

They  _were_  kind of right.  _Ugh, I already regret this so much._

Percy sighed. "Alright. Fine. Whatever."

The sound Will made could only be defined as an excited scream, and he ran across to Percy's room to find him a great suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I am SO sorry to abandon this fic for so long, I do plan on finishing it! The chapter is short, but I plan on doing short chapters but frequent updates. Don't worry, y'all, the fic WILL be finished even if it is the last thing I do!


	5. Chapter 5

Suits were really uncomfortable. But, even Percy had to admit that they looked good on him. He never would say such a thing out loud, but he did admit it. Silently. Will got to put on a suit as well. It was black and white with gold cloth or something outlining the edges of it. Even Rachel had to dress up. She wore a red dress that was so poofy Percy didn't even know how she was walking without tripping everywhere.

"So, tonight is your first meeting with the other contestants," Will said as he fixed his hair in the mirror.

"Right," Percy said uneasily.

"And the  _Prince_ ," Will sighed dreamily. Percy said nothing to that, instead rolling his eyes. "I wish I was in your place so bad. I wouldn't mind winning this thing. Just imagine it: becoming king alongside Prince Jason. Living in the palace. Having his affection."

Percy muttered, "I can think of other people's affection who I'd rather want."

Rachel and Will shared a glance. "Right," Rachel laughed. "You remember that time that the girl from 17th Street came to our house and asked you to the school dance?"

"Or that time that Percy threatened to hurt very badly the man who was flirting with him!" Will offered.

"He was being gross about it,okay?" Percy snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't you two have better things to do than to discuss this?"

Rachel shook her head. "You're rarely ever affectionate, Percy. I think I've seen you show more love to your cakes than to a person your age."

"Okay, but seriously. You are going to try in the Selection, right?" Will asked, turning to look at him.

"I already said I will, didn't I?" He grunted. Their conversation was cut short by a knock on Percy's door, and he went over to open it. The man from before was standing there, smiling pleasantly. His eyes widened when he saw Percy.

"My, cleaning up does wonders for you people from the lower castes." The man said, and Percy was seriously  _this_  close to punching him, but Rachel went up to his side, grinning.

"I know right? Lead the way, kind sir."

As Percy was taken to the according hall, he caught sight of several people. He'd be marching out with the other people from numbers around his caste and, and they'd be marching out last. He was last in line, which made him a little nervous, but he refused to express his anxiousness. Rachel and Will would be waiting in the seats, watching him, and Percy wished at least one of them was with him. He'd be a lot more calm with them.

"Oh, wow! Look at this one, Reyna," a boy appeared out of nowhere, with impish features and a devilish smile. He grabbed Percy's arm, and yanked so hard that Percy was forced to do a twirl. "Beautiful! Magnificent! We may as well leave right now, His Royal Highness Prince Jason might just pick this one as soon as he sees him."

Behind him, a girl with a serious facial expression looked Percy over. "Hm. Very nice," she said monotonously.

The boy looked at her, disappointed. " _Mija_ , you gotta put more emotion into it. Don't you agree he looks good? Say, what's your name, young man?"

Percy blinked. "Uhm... it's Percy."

"Well, nice to meetcha, Percy. I'm Leo, this is my bestest friend Reyna. We're both Fives, and we go in front of you! Totally unfair that you go behind us, you'll outshine us all. Well, all of us in castes Four and below. Did you see that girl Hazel? Super cute. I think she's a Three."

"I didn't ask to go last," Percy muttered. "They put me here."

Leo nodded. "We figured. Do you ever smile? You just kinda...  _glare_  at everyone here. Just like that, yes! Makes you look super intimidating."

"Don't you have other people to talk to?" Percy asked.

"I do, but I'm choosing to talk to you right now. Oh, nevermind, time to get in rank." Leo got in place in front him, and Percy let out a sigh. He'd be in close quarters with that guy for who knew how long.

Suddenly, a frazzled-looking woman came out of nowhere and went up to Percy. "Start walking when that guy tells you," she shouted over the music that started to play. Percy was surprised by how beautiful it sounded. He'd never heard instruments playing live, his family could never afford that kind of thing.

His gaze focused on the guy the woman had pointed to, not wanting to make a fool of himself in front of the whole country. This event would be playing on TV everywhere. His family would see him. His chest ached with the thought of not seeing his family for however long he'd stay here. The man then nodded, and the line started to advance. Nerves danced in his belly, and he began to tap his foot nervously. Then, all of a sudden he had to start walking to keep up with the line.

Everyone was staring at him, and it made him quite uncomfortable. He kept his gaze straight ahead, and fought the urge to look around nervously. He didn't want these people thinking they could get to him. He stared at the back of the boy in front of him, whose name he had already forgotten. Had it been Lucas? Leo? Leroy?

A camera was angled right at Percy, and it made him want to run away even more. He had never had so much attention on him before. It made his skin itch. His eyes settled on a girl who's hair was piled up elegantly with a bunch of jewels braided in intricately. There was a heavy necklace settled against her chest, and the earrings on her looked heavy enough to pull her ears right off. It made Percy angry. All that jewelry could keep his family going for  _years_. He was sure the anger was starting to show on his face, so he looked away quickly. He didn't want anyone to see any emotion on him right now until he figured out how long he wanted to stay here.

Before he knew it, the path was nearing the Royal Family. For some reason, he began to feel even  _more_  nervous. He couldn't figure out why.

Percy rounded the obtuse corner, and his gaze flickered right over to Prince Jason.  _Wow._ Of course, Percy had seen Prince Jason several times. On TV, he usually appeared at the mandatory events everyone had to watch. But for some reason, he never looked as handsome as he did right now. His skin was lightly tanned, and his hair was blond, styled perfectly. His eyes were bright and happy, and it might've been Percy's favorite part, had he not seen the radiant smile on Prince Jason. It seemed to make him  _glow_.

He snapped out of his thinking then, giving himself a mental smack for letting himself be drawn in by Prince Jason. The Prince had been trained all his life to appear friendly to make people trust him. Still, each time Percy even looked over at Prince Jason for a second, he could feel his face heat up.  _Oh,_ God _, please don't let me be blushing._  He could feel himself stiffen as he neared Prince Jason, trying to keep his expression impassive.

It all went out the window when he was going up the steps. See, everybody had to go and bow once in front of Queen Hera, King Zeus, and then Prince Jason. He did just fine with bowing to the Queen and the King, but as Percy stepped over to Prince Jason, he felt himself losing confidence. Percy bowed, and at the last second raised his eyes to look at the Prince. Their eyes met; and then, just like that, it was over. Percy looked down again, and stepped back, walking to his spot.

\+ + +

"Well, what did you think?" Will asked as he ran into Percy's room, Rachel close behind. The ceremony was far from over, but there was a break to allow everyone to change into something else for the second half. Percy did so silently, carefully picking his words.

"It was fine," he said, quietly. "I just did what they asked me to do."

Rachel and Will shared a look. They must've noticed Percy's silence. They were kind enough to not comment on it anymore, and dropped the subject. "Are you ready for the ceremony? It's all supposed to be for the people picked to get to know each other. The Royal Family isn't allowed to drop in and talk. That's what's gonna happen tomorrow. I think Prince Jason talks with everybody during lunch or breakfast or something."

Percy nodded. "Sounds fine to me." He tried to ignore the feeling in his stomach. It felt a lot like nerves. Was he nervous to meet the Prince?

There was a knock at Percy's door, and a voice filtered through. "Come out soon! The second half is about to commence!"

He slipped his suit jacket on, and fixed his tie. "You don't think they'd let me skip this part of the ceremony?"

"I doubt it," said Will, before pushing Percy out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back!! I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to update this weekly now. Sorry for disappearing, haha.

As Percy was led to the ballroom where everyone would be mingling and chatting for the evening, he reached up and loosened his dress shirt. He had gotten rid of the blazer and tie he was wearing earlier for the ceremony, feeling a bit more comfortable in just a blue dress shirt and black slacks. It still was nothing compared to worn shirts and pants, but he was in a castle now. It's not like he could dress like he was still a Six. Even though he technically still was one.

Will and Rachel had been sent elsewhere to meet the other friendly advisers that people brought, and now the contestants had to meet and actually act friendly like this wasn't a competition that could turn deadly if people were given the chance.

Percy entered hesitantly, looking around the ballroom. He wanted to sleep. Or eat. Or be literally anywhere else than here. Just as he was eyeing the guards at the door and trying to figure out a way to sneak out, a voice called out from the crowd.

"Hey, it's you again!"

When he turned his head, Percy began to wish he had sneaked out earlier. He fidgeted nervously as the girl and boy he met earlier approached him. He couldn't remember their names.

The boy grinned, in such a way that it made Percy feel uneasy. Like he was about to be pick-pocketed. "How are you enjoying the party ... ?" He trailed off in a manner that indicated he wanted to know the name of who he was speaking to.

"Percy."

"Ah," the boy nodded. "I had just been calling you the Six in my head, and that just wouldn't do."

"Remind me your name again." Percy said bluntly, eyeing the other girl to let her know that he didn't remember her name either.

"Oh, well, I'm Leo." He stood up straight, and bowed with a flourish. "Nice to meet you, again."

The girl was silent, and Percy had a feeling that they shared the same silent personality. Leo nudged her, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm Reyna."

"You're both from the lower castes, right?" Percy asked.

"Fives," Leo confirmed. "We knew each other before we got picked. I forced Reyna to enter with me as a dare."

Reyna's face scrunched up, showing how annoyed she was that she actually got picked. "I just did this for the dare," she snapped defensively to Percy. "But now that I'm here, I won't mind fighting my way to the top."

Percy smiled just slightly, nodding. He was impressed by Reyna and he had only met her a few moments ago. "I'll be sure to stay out of your way then," he said. He turned to Leo. "What about you? You wanna win this?"

Leo shrugged. "Don't know. Depends if the Prince does anything for me. I'm not gonna be with a guy who I don't even like in, like, a  _like_  like way."

"...Uh-huh."

Reyna looked Percy up and down. "And you?"

"And me what?"

"Are  _you_  trying to win this 'thing'?" Reyna said, mimicking the tone he used with Leo.

Percy shook his head. "I'm here for the money," he said quietly, making sure nobody else heard. "I'm a Six, if you haven't noticed by now. My family needs it desperately."

Leo and Reyna were both silent; Leo was staring at him with wide eyes, while Reyna stared with what seemed... begrudging approval. "Uh," Leo started. "Well, at least you have your priorities straight?"

"Honestly, I don't get why they're making us talk to each other," Reyna said, skillfully changing the subject. Percy looked around at the other contestants.

"Yeah, who knows how many people could be going home by tomorrow." Percy agreed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you two nervous to meet the prince?"

Reyna shook her head. "Not at all."

Leo nodded vigorously. "Incredibly nervous. You?"

He lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. "Eh. I guess kind of. I just don't wanna be sent home early, you know?" Even though the check he was given right away for being picked would help his family immensely this year, he still wanted to bring more money. "I do miss my family already though," he chuckled.

"I miss my dogs," Reyna said forlornly. "I wish I had been allowed to bring them. I'd feel a lot more comfortable."

Leo shrugged. "I don't really have a family. I live with a bunch of other guys in a house and we share rent and bills."

"Oh. I'm sorry," Percy said awkwardly. Leo waved him away.

"Don't be. I'm gonna go find something to drink. You want something?" He offered Reyna and Percy. Reyna declined, while Percy asked for just water. As Leo set off, Reyna and Percy were left alone, and a stiff silence settled uncomfortably between them.

"What are your dogs' names?" Percy finally said.

"Aurum and Argentum." She answered, a small smile playing on her lips. "They're lively dogs."

"What about your family?"

"I only have my sister now. Her name is Hylla." Reyna turned her dark eyes on him. "Now I get to ask questions."

Percy let out a sharp laugh of surprise. "Okay, you get two."

"Tell me about  _your_  family."

"Okay," Percy nodded. "I have a mom named Sally, a step-dad named Paul. Two sisters named Rachel and Ella. A brother named Tyson. My sister is actually here with me. As an adviser."

"Really?" Reyna grinned. "I must meet her then. Is she like you?"

"Sort of. She's friendlier than me but we share the temper that seems to be genetic in our family. The other adviser with me is Will. He's like family to me."

"Is  _he_  like you?"

Percy snorted. "No, quite the opposite. He's kind and friendly and gentle, and - "

"Oh, definitely an opposite of you then." Reyna nodded, although she was smiling. Percy gave her a playful look of displeasure.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." Just then, Leo came back, handing Percy his cup of water. "Thanks."

"No problem. You think they're sneaking alcohol into the drinks?" Leo wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, taking a small sip of his very much non-alcoholic drink.

"Leo, they're serving alcoholic drinks right now," Reyna stated, motioning to the fancy, fizzy drinks laid out on a separate table. "Everyone here  _should_  be above eighteen."

Leo sighed, throwing her a glance. "Way to destroy the feeling that this could be a party back home. The sixteen and seventeen year olds always would sneak alcohol in."

Percy lifted an eyebrow. "You used to have parties in lavish ballrooms or something? 'Cause this sure as hell doesn't remind  _me_  of the parties back home."

"Of course we had them in ballrooms. Where else?" Leo scoffed. Suddenly, the quiet music came to a stop and chatter ceased as people began to be escorted out. It seemed the party had come to an end. Percy looked around for a clock, trying to see the time, and his eyes widened as his gaze landed on one. One in the morning.

As if his body was just now realizing how long he had been awake, all the energy seemed to seep out of him. A guard came up to Reyna and gave her a short, quick bow. Reyna turned to Leo and bid him goodnight, before looking at Percy and nodding firmly in farewell. Gathering the folds of her elegant dark purple dress (which Percy was just now noticing), Reyna left with the guard.

She was so graceful. How could Percy compete with people like these? When a guard came up to Leo, he grinned at Percy and slapped his shoulder, saying, "Good luck with the prince tomorrow." Percy gave him a small smile, and Leo took his leave as well.

He didn't have to wait on his own long though, because quickly a guard came to his side and - after bowing, which made Percy incredibly uncomfortable - took him back to his according hall. Not even bothering to thank the guard or say anything, Percy rushed into his room. He kicked off his shoes, tearing his shirt off along the way, and collapsed into the bed, letting out a content sigh. Within minutes, he was in a deep sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"WAKE UP!"

Percy jerked up, eyes snapping open and fists instantly coming up in front of him. He looked around, bewildered. His gaze landed on Will, who was standing a few steps back, grinning. "Oh, get out of here." Percy grumbled, laying back down and turning over onto his stomach. He gathered the pillow in his hands, mumbling a few colorful words.

"Percy, Percy," Will scolded, coming over to him. He gave his shoulder a rough shake. "It's late! You have to get up."

"Go  _away!_ " Percy snapped, burying his face further into the pillow. "I stayed up until one last night. Let me slehh...." The tired boy trailed off, already losing consciousness fast.

He was granted ten seconds max of a light nap. Will spoke again. "You're meeting the prince in twenty minutes."

Never had Will seen Percy get out of bed so fast. In fact, so hurried was his hop out that he didn't notice he was still wrapped up in the covers and ended up face-first on the floor. "What?!" He shrieked. "Will, you jerk, why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"Yikes," Will raised his eyebrows as he took in Percy's appearance. "Get in the shower, quick." Percy didn't have to be told twice, already sprinting to the bathroom. He still took the time to get his water as hot as he could take it, but his shower only lasted five minutes before he stepped out. Wrapping a towel around his torso, Percy came out of the bathroom, looking around for Will.

He didn't look for long, hearing Will's murmurs with somebody else. Percy frowned and went to the doorway of the room he was in, peeking out. Will was at the door, allowing two girls in. Percy's eyes widened, and he stumbled back, meaning to run back to the safety and privacy of his bathroom.

His feet tangled up in the bed covers that were somehow still on the ground after he fell out earlier, and Percy went crashing to the ground. He let out a loud yelp, which made everybody scramble to his room, of course.

The two girls let out a surprised sound of their own at seeing...  _so much_  of Percy, quickly turning around. "Terribly sorry, Sir Perseus!" One of them said, although it sounded like she was fighting back laughter.

Will grabbed a navy blue bathrobe before going to help Percy up, and handing him the robe. Percy snatched it out of his hands quickly, yanking it on. "Who are these girls?" He demanded.

"Your maids," Will motioned to them. They were still turned away, but they swept into a low curtsy. Will leaned close to Percy, whispering, "They follow your every order. You need to tell them they can turn around."

"Oh." Percy cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, you can...um, turn around. Or whatever."

The girls obeyed. They curtsied again. "We're sorry to have caught you... uh...  _indisposed_ , Sir Perseus. We thought you had been hurt."

Percy waved away the apology. "It's the stupid bed covers' fault."

Will snorted. "Sure, blame the inanimate object."

"What are your names?" Percy asked, ignoring Will.

The first maid, who had dark brown hair, spoke up. "I'm Miriam, sir." Her hair was swept up into a simple bun. The other maid, who had her light blonde hair in two braids, giggled. "And I, Anastasia, sir."

Miriam elbowed Anastasia discreetly, but Percy noticed. He chose not to comment on it. "And... why are you here?"

"Oh, we're here to keep you well-dressed, of course." Miriam answered.

"Yeah, keep you looking as handsome as you are," Anastasia chirped.

Miriam hissed out a quiet, " _Anastasia,_ " in a reprimanding manner. The blonde maid pursed her lips, and her gaze dropped to the ground.

"My a-apologies, Sir Perseus," Anastasia stuttered, her cheeks suddenly turning as red as Percy's were. "I spoke o-out of turn."

"No, it's fine. I mean, like, it's okay, I won't punish you or something if that's what you fear." Percy said. "And stop calling me 'Sir Perseus'. Please."

Miriam's eyes widened. "Sir, we cannot. If anybody caught us, we could get severely punished."

"Oh. Fine. Then just call me Sir Percy." Miriam opened her mouth, about to protest again, but Percy cut her off. "Now, they can't punish you for calling me a shortened version of my name, can they?"

Miriam faltered, as if reviewing the rules of palace staff in her head. She fell silent, and then shook her head. "There's nothing mentioned about nicknames, no."

"Good. Then it's settled." Percy ran a hand through his drying hair, shaking out the last few drops of water.

"This is all very nice and everything," Will said. "But you have five minutes until you have to meet the prince."

Percy, Miriam, and Anastasia all sucked in a collective gasp. Nobody could really describe what happened in the next three minutes of chaos, but somehow Percy got dressed in a presentable outfit, and he was pushed out the door quickly with directions shouted at him by Miriam and Anastasia.

Off Percy went, sprinting down the palace hall he was situated in. If he was late to his first meeting with the prince, it could ruin everything. Prince Jason could send him home for making him wait.

"Oh, jeez, I'm so screwed. I'm so screwed, I'm so screwed," Percy muttered under his breath as he weaved through the palace halls. He was supposed to be meeting Prince Jason down at the main staircase, and from there they'd go wherever Prince Jason pleased.

When Percy turned around a corner, he was going so fast that he didn't even have time to register the person that was walking. Percy ran straight into the person at high speed, letting out a little scream of surprise.

The other person also let out a grunt, as Percy might as well have tackled them to the ground with how fast he had careened into them. Percy wasn't exactly light either, and he landed right on top of the other person.

There was a disorienting moment where Percy nor the other person moved, trying to process what just happened, before Percy slowly shifted. "Oh, crap, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there - "

Percy lifted his head, and made eye contact with the other person. His heart leaped up into his throat, and Percy gaped, shock coursing through him.

Prince  _Jason_  stared up at him, still stunned from the fall.


End file.
